Former NBA Champion Iman Shumpert on Jimmy Butler’s Mentality

“Win. I don’t care about a triple-double. … I want to win.” – Jimmy Butler on his mindset after his epic performance in Game 3 of the 2020 NBA Finals.

Jimmy Butler is off to a slow start this season, mostly because of the right ankle injury he suffered in the Heat’s season opener against the Magic on December 23. Butler is averaging 8.3 points, 5.1 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.6 steals in 26.3 minutes over just three games this season but he’s clearly the heart and soul of the team and the main why they made the NBA Finals last year. Former NBA champion Iman Shumpert appeared in an episode of the Knuckleheads podcast from The Players’ Tribune and explained Butler’s mindset and why he’s been so successful.

“Jimmy Butler and I worked out together in Sarasota to prepare for the draft. He had a lot of that same ‘f*ck you’ mentality back then as he does now. He just got them two wires that just don’t touch. One like, ‘Y’all don’t get it but cool. My whole life y’all didn’t help me. I wasn’t supposed to be shit. I wasn’t supposed to be here. So everything I do is a plus.’ He walks that every day. But he also walks that other line of, ’I was here at 4 a.m. working on my game. And I bet my money on you was still sleeping. I bet my money that you didn’t finish your last three reps because they ain’t have no cameras and your weight instructor turned his head. So you ain’t finish your last three reps, but I did an extra three. ’ 

That’s his mentality. And that’s where he rests his confidence. To see his resilience and his ability to get everyone to play in that same blue collar way is amazing. I know Jimmy and what he’s capable of. I knew his heart this whole time. And I know the type of player it takes to play with Jimmy Butler. That’s why I respect that Miami team.”